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Facilitating a Community of Practice (CoP) in the Arts: Connecting Online University Learning to ‘Real-World’ Experience

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Implementing Communities of Practice in Higher Education

Abstract

This chapter discusses the role that ‘cognitive apprenticeship model’ (Collins et al. in Knowing, learning, and instruction: essays in honor of Robert Glaser. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, 1989), online self and peer review, reflective blogging and collaborative writing can play towards promoting ‘a sense of community’ amongst coursework postgraduate students studying for careers in the arts industry (Rourke et al. in Did I tell you its anonymous? The triumphs and pitfalls of online peer review, 2008). According to Rourke and Coleman (Assessment for learning research and writing skills through scaffolded online peer review, 2011a) they are “positioned in a community of practice (COP) in the ever changing and developing art world. This art world in which they work or seek to work is creative, collaborative and connected, therefore the world in which they learn, authentically, should be modelled and correspond rather than be at odds” (p. 6143). Three case study examples are detailed: (1) an internship course that uses reflective blog journals; (2) a fully online course that teaches students to research and write a research paper; and (3) a writing course that uses collaborative writing to produce an ejournal (Artwrite blog). The chapter emphasises the importance of scaffolding the online learning environment and taking into account students’ interests and levels of understanding. The significant role alumni can play in higher education to mentor students while helping to break down the barriers between university studies and ‘real world’ practice is also discussed.

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  1. University of New South Wales, PO Box 259, Paddington, NSW, 2021, Australia

    Arianne Rourke & Joanna Mendelssohn

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  1. Arianne Rourke
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Correspondence to Arianne Rourke .

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  1. University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

    Jacquie McDonald

  2. University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

    Aileen Cater-Steel

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Rourke, A., Mendelssohn, J. (2017). Facilitating a Community of Practice (CoP) in the Arts: Connecting Online University Learning to ‘Real-World’ Experience. In: McDonald, J., Cater-Steel, A. (eds) Implementing Communities of Practice in Higher Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2866-3_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2866-3_21

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